How to visually expand a room: 18 ideas and methods

The only way to actually increase the size of a room is to remove walls and combine several spaces. However, this is not always possible or appropriate. What to do in this case? Here are some tips that will help you visually enlarge a room. You’ll be impressed with the result!

Mirrors

The simplest and most obvious way to visually enlarge any room is with large mirrors. They can be used as cabinet facades, doors, a whole wall, or several separate tall mirrors – the result is the same. And if you combine them with lighting and take into account the window location, you can increase the amount of light in the room without additional expense or effort.

Glossy surfaces

This can be glossy wall cladding, acrylic facades, special wallpaper collections, or any other coatings. This way you can not only visually enlarge the room but also shift the borders: for example, between a small hallway and a living room.

Light shades

Use light shades in the interior: white, gray, beige, pastel hues. You can add color and mood with accessories and decorative inserts. But choose a neutral background: you can even paint the walls and ceiling in the same color. Furniture made of light wood or acrylic has the same effect as light finishes.

Geometry

Vertical stripes visually raise ceilings if used correctly on the walls. But it’s important not to overdo it and not to make them too thick: just 1-2 contrasting accents are enough. But striped wallpaper on all walls can have the opposite effect.

Horizontal stripes expand walls and increase the room’s width. Use horizontal wallpaper combinations, decorative strips, or even just elongated horizontal shelves. This is enough to create an optical illusion, but you won’t overdo it.

Flower print

Small floral print wallpapers can help enlarge a room in a Provencal style. And if you choose a companion with a similar but larger pattern on the opposite narrow wall, you can visually increase its width.

Wall murals

Impressive and bright wall murals with a 3D effect on one of the walls play the same role as painting in different colors. The only difference is that realistic images create an additional perspective effect and a sense of space. A rich assortment and modern printing technologies can help you choose an option for any room.

Stretch ceilings

If you need to level the base, replace the plasterboard structure or hide communications, stretch ceilings save space literally. Glossy fabric gives the same mirror effect. And built-in series of spotlights allow you to visually expand walls and fill the room with even light.

Large flooring

Choose large tiles, laminate, or planks instead of small mosaics. The fewer joints and lines, the more spacious the room looks. Take into account the laying direction if these are long elongated boards.

Sliding doors

Swing interior doors and closet doors take up a lot of useful space. But modern sliding systems can help solve this problem. If it is an interior door, you will need a small box for installation, which will still take up several centimeters, but in practice, it is much less than an open swing door.

Lighting

The more light in the room, the more spacious it looks. Multi-level systems are best: diffuse ceiling light, zonal wall lighting, floor lamps, nightlights, and table lamps. Use LED tape to decorate niches, shelves, mirrors, and large cabinets.

Large chandelier

If you need to enlarge a living room or a bedroom in a classic style, choose a large and beautiful chandelier. Hang it right in the center of the room as high as possible, without long chains. Then it will be the first thing to catch the attention of everyone who enters the room. The eyes will immediately fall on the source of light, and this makes the ceilings seem a bit higher.

Tall curtains

A trick that helps to elongate walls and raise ceilings – tall curtains. Choose thin and light flowing fabrics such as organza, tulle or airy cotton. Do not use too dense and bulky fabrics that occupy space. Hang such curtains as high as possible above the windows, almost up to the ceiling and all the way to the floor.

Furniture arrangement

If you have a small room, give up on island layouts and zoning with furniture. In this case, a classic layout along the walls will be better, leaving the space in the middle free. If possible, use either tall furniture up to the ceiling, such as wardrobes, or low long cabinets. Lines in the middle divide the room into parts and visually lower the ceilings.

Furniture with legs

Bulky furniture with a solid base or fabric covers down to the floor looks much heavier. Meanwhile, models on thin neat legs look much lighter and more elegant, especially in decorative classic interiors. Of course, you will have to constantly clean under such furniture, but the room will become noticeably more spacious.

Glass furniture

If you prefer modern and high-tech interiors, replace all possible furniture with glass. Such doors, shelves, and cabinets look stylish and fresh, make the room visually more spacious, lighter, and airier. Just choose high-strength tempered glass: it is almost impossible to accidentally break it. And if it happens, it will shatter into small safe particles, not sharp shards.

Round table tops

If you need to put in a dining table or a coffee table, consider models in a round shape. Squares and rectangles visually divide the room into parts, thus changing its geometry and making it narrower. However, if your room is already small in itself, this is not the best option – round furniture is not as ergonomic.

Minimalism in decor

Get rid of unnecessary decorations and trinkets, as they always create the effect of cluttered space. Leave only the most favorite or functional accessories. For example, beautiful spice jars instead of figurines in the kitchen. And to refresh the interior and make it livelier, use real flowers and vases.

Large decor

Give up a large number of decorations, figurines, vases and decorative knick-knacks in favor of one large and expressive element. For example, hang one large painting or poster on the wall. Or create a large composition of favorite photographs, drawings or sketches, only hang them close together, or even overlapping each other for completeness.